BUSINESSES in Wyre Forest have been warned to read the small print after a Stourport firm was "duped" by a Spanish company which is demanding £2,000.

The Cutting Room hairdressers, High Street, was targeted by a mailshot from Barcelona-based European City Guide offering a listing in a website and brochure.

But joint owners Neil Cook and David Smith were in for a shock when they were billed for the listing, which they thought would be free, after unwittingly signing a legally-binding contract.

They had been sent a form asking them to amend their details and sign with the contract detailed in very small letters at the bottom.

Mr Cook said the ECG was demanding four separate payments of £500 and could enlist a debt collection agency to obtain the money.

The firm is thought to have contacted more than five million UK and French firms over the past two years.

Mr Cook added: "I have refused to pay - in fact, I have billed them for my time but a lot of people might think 'I'm stuck with it and I will have to pay'. I am very annoyed and I have written them some very strong letters. We want to stop other people being conned."

Mr Cook, who has been in business at The Cutting Room for 11 years, has been involved in reams of e-mail correspondence with other firms across the country who are aiming to spread the word about ECG.

The Office of Fair Trading teamed up with Catalan authorities after receiving more than 100 complaints. It found ECG guilty of misleading advertising six months ago - but firms are being duped by the small print.

A Worcestershire Trading Standards spokeswoman recommended firms ignore ECG mailshots.